The Big Apple Is One of 4 Cities Featured in New National Geographic 'Walking Guide' Series

February 3, 2012

WASHINGTON (Feb. 3, 2012)—New York, along with London, Paris and Rome, is showcased in a new National Geographic step-by-step, walking guide series on the world’s greatest and most visited cities. WALKING NEW YORK (National Geographic Books; ISBN: 978-1-4262-0873-7; on sale March 6, 2012; $14.95; paperback) includes insider tips on how to get to the city’s best sights and key information to get the most out of an New York City adventure. The guides for Rome, Paris and London also go on sale Tuesday, March 6.

WALKING NEW YORK offers 15 carefully curated itineraries, written by an expert travel writer, which showcase the city’s must-see destinations. Included in this streamlined guide, created in a handy, take-along format, is on-the-ground information, allowing the traveler to avoid long lines, visit at the most opportune time and see the sights in the easiest ways possible. Among the features are in-depth looks at major icons, “best of” lists of quintessential things to see and do and insider sidebars full of local knowledge. A “travel essentials” section has planning tips and hand-picked hotels and restaurants. Travelers will find top-notch, useful information that ensures a rewarding, authentic and memorable urban experience.

A sample of some of the most popular destinations mentioned in the guide:

East Village: Once an immigrant neighborhood, gentrification erased some of the area’s grittiness, but an artsy vibe remains. Street artist Jim Power has decorated almost all of the 80 lampposts with ceramics, mirrors and glass: a new streetscape known as the Mosaic Trail.

Merchant’s House Museum: The wealthy merchant Tredwell family owned this Federal-style row house, built in 1832. It is the city’s only 19th-century home that retains its original interior and exterior — and is reportedly Manhattan’s most haunted house.

Union Square Park: Among the famous sculptures dotting the park is a bronze equestrian statue of George Washington. Cast in 1814, it is the oldest sculpture in New York City’s park collection. On one of the buildings surrounding the park is the newest sculpted addition: the kinetic Metronome designed by artists Kristin Jones and Andrew Gizel. The piece features a digital clock and releases a continuous plume of steam.

The High Line: This unusual, slimline, above-ground park was created around 1.45 miles of disused freight track. Miniature landscapes, such as wildflower meadows and tree plantings, adorn the walking trail from Gansevoort to West 30th streets; en route you can pause on wooden loungers and viewing platforms and peruse temporary art installations.

No one knows the world like National Geographic, the experts in exploring the globe. WALKING NEW YORK capitalizes on the Society’s core strengths in photography, cartography and travel expertise.